Emma barker



(No Modl.)

E. BARKER. GAME ATTACHMENT.

No. 454,700. v Patented June 23, 1891.

flv VEN TOH MQ W ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

EMMA BARKER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

GAM E ATTACH MENT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 454,700, dated June 23,1891. Application filed January 21, 1891. Serial No. 378,501. (Nomodel.)

To a'ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EMMA BARKER, of London, England, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Game Attachments, of whichthe'following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in game attachments; and the objectof my i11- vention is to provide means for playing an in door game whichis substantially like lawntennis, and to produce certain attachmentswhereby the net may be conveniently supported upon an ordinarydining-table, and

also to provide a convenient racket adapted for indoor use.

To this end my invention consists in certain features of constructionand 'combination of parts, which will be hereinafter described andclaimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ordinary table marked oif intocourts and provided with a net. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail Viewshowing the post and clamping device by means of which the net issupported upon the table. "Fig. 3 is a plan view of the racket used inplaying the game, the position of the hand on the racket being indicatedby dotted lines; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the racket.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents an ordinary dining-table,although the game may be played upon any suitable table, and the tableis laid off into courts B in the same manner that the courts are markedupon the lawn for playing lawn-tennis, although the courts are producedupon the table by the use of tape or chalk. The net 0 is stretchedtransversely across the ceuterof the table, so as to divide the courtsin the usual manner, and the .net is provided at its lower corners withcords O, and at its upper corners with cords 0 which terminate in loopsor'stirrups c.

The net 0 is supported at each end upon a post D, whichis split at thetop, as shown at d, and which is provided on its inner edge with aseries of serrations d, which are slightly hook-shaped to enable them toeasily hold the cord-loop, as described below, and the bottom of thepost is rigidly attached to or formed integrally with the clamping-pieceD, which is preferably of a U shape, and which is open at one end, sothat it may be easily placed upon the edge of the table, one arm of theclamping-piece being placed above the table and the other one beneath.

A screw E extends vertically through the lower member of theclamping-piece D, the clampingpiece being suitably threaded to receiveit, and the upper end of the screw is provided with a flattened head .6,which is adapted to press against the table-top, thus affording a goodbearing, and also 011 account of its great surface affording means ofattaching the clamping-piece without injury to the table, and the lowerend of the screw is provided with a suitable thumb -piece 0', by meansof which it may be tightened. The clamping-pieces with the poststhereon, are fastened to opposite sides of the table.

The cords O of the nets are fastened to the lower ends of the posts D,and the cords O are carried through the slotted upper ends of the posts,the loops or stirrups 0 being first placed over the posts, and the cordsO are tightened and the loops 0 hooked into suitable serrations (1, soas to hold the cords and net taut.

I11 Figs. 3 and 4: I have shown a racket F, adapted to be used inplaying the game, which racket is rounded at the corners and at its backedges, as shown at f, and the opposite side edges f of which are curvedinwardly, as best shown in Fig. 3, to enable it to be convenientlygrasped by the fingers. A strap G has one end fixed to a corner of theracket, as shown at g, and the strap extends diagonally over the back ofthe racket and has its opposite end attached to one side thereof, asshown at g, thus forming a loop through which the hand is thrust whenthe racket is to be used.

The game is played. substantially like lawntennis, asoft-rubber ballbeing preferably used, and the ball is knocked over the net so as tostrike in the courts, the exception to the tennis rules being that theservice must be delivered underhand-that is, the hand must be below theelbow-and the ball must be struck by a fore-hand stroke at a pointbeyond the end of the table. A second exception is that a ball whichbefore it bounds hits the person or racket of the striker-out, providedhe is not leaning over the table or does not touch the ball with theracket in an attempt to take it, counts against the striker. 'ljhe rulesmay be changed, however, if des red, and the essential features of myinvention are the means for attachingthe net to the table and the racketfor striking the ball.

HELVIHg thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1 In game attachments of the character described, thepost having serrations on one edge, as shown, and the clamping deviceattached to one end of the post, substantially as described.

2. In game attachments of the character described, the net-supportcomprising a post havlng a slotted upper end and having serrations onone edge, and a clamping device fixed to the lower end of the post toattach it to a table, substantially as described.

3. The net-support comprising a post having serrations on one edge, anda U-shaped clamping-piece fixed to the lower end of the post, saidclamping-piece being open at one end and having a screw extendingvertically through its lower arm, substantially as described.

4:- The combination, with the net having its upper corners provided withcords which terminate in loops or stirrups, of a post having serrationsin one edge and having means for attachment to a table, substantially asdescribed.

5. In game attachments of the character described, the racket havingrounded corners and back edges and having a loop extending diagonallyacross its back, substantially as described.

6. In game attachments of the character described, the racket having theinwardlycurved side edges and having a loop extending diagonally acrossits back, substantially as described.

EMMA BARKER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE O. llir'r, Vice and Deputy U. S. Oonsul-Genera], London, Englmzd.

A. E. NEUPARD, U. S. Consulate General, London.

